Ajumose Mag Jan-march 2013

7/29/2019 Ajumose Mag Jan-march 2013

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a publication of th mdia unit of th govrnor offic, oyo tat

january - march 2013

JMSE

OYSG Bridges The InfrastructureGap with 205 Projectsplus

Nation Building According to Ajimobi Oranyan Festival: Promoting our Rich Cultural Heritage

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FRomTHeeDIToR-IN-CHIeF

From all of us atAjumose, the Newsletter, we are wishing through you,

our readers, every citizen of Oyo State, at home and in the diaspora,

a very happy and prosperous 2013.

I can tell you that this year for us in Oyo State will be a very exciting

one. We are excited because of many things that will be happening in the state,

as the administration is breaking new ground on the road we chose to travel,

The Road to Restoration; we are excited about the new projects that well beembarking upon and the opportunities they will bring for all citizens of Oyo

State. Also, we cannot but be excited about the due coming on stream of many

projects on which the administration has expended time and treasure. We are

sure of the positive impact these projects will have on the everyday lives of the

people of Oyo State. At a very small though representative level, this edition

tells the Oyo State transformational story. It is packed full of interesting articles

for your information, orientation and education. In all, we make bold to say

that this New Year edition is a precursor to the exciting times awaiting us all

in this year 2013.

Please come along with us!

fess ae p.dSpecial Adviser to the Governor on Media

happy new Year!

i tis issue

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We are excitedabout the new

projects that wellbe embarkingupon and the

opportunities theywill bring for all

citizens of Oyo State.

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K Y L e d a ; j m s e G boG bo wa n i o !


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jmsepublicatiootheeiaitotheGoeofce,yostate.

EditorialDr. Festus Adedayo (specialie,eia)-Editor-in-Chief

Mr. Wale Sadeeq(specialitatPiteia)- EditorMr. Tunde Muraina (specialitat,e-eia)- Deputy EditorMr. Seun Folarin-PhotographerMr. Dauda Agboola - Photographer

adviory BoardDr. Adeolu Akande-ChieostatotheGoeoMr. Toye Arulogun-specialie,Publicai

Mr. Gbolagade Busari-specialie,omatio&ietatio

Editorial/Production conultantInsider Concepts Limited11,aaaaleaCecet,suulee,LagonG101014el: 08111115050, 08111115555.

llcoepoeceto:the d,jmse,oe he gve, the see, ad,ibd.Piteinigeia

j M S E is the philosophical frameworkof the Ajimobi-led Oyo State Government.Its unique semantic is descriptive of a taskaccomplished by voluntary engagement ofthe collective efforts of the members of acommunity.

m de g pee o e,

Isend hearty greetings to you and congratulations on the New Year2013. I trust that you would join the Oyo State Executive Councilto thank the Creator for his grace and enablement that have seen us

enter this Year 2013.

Thank you for the support and the goodwill

you have shown to the Oyo State Governmentthat I lead. You have appreciated our efforts at

infrastructure development and rejuvenation,

as well as the efforts in education, works and

housing, general administration, welfare of

civil servants, agriculture and industry.

As 2013 rolls in, I make a solemn promise

to you on behalf of the Government: we shall

redouble efforts to deliver a richer and more

meaningful life for Oyo State citizens.

We shall continue in 2013 the long journey ofRestoration, Repositioning and Transformation

of Oyo State that we commenced on May 29,

2011. We are emboldened to make the promise

to you based on what we have already done with

your support. As they say in Human Resource

management, past performance is proof of

potential.

Let me restate herewith our commitment

to recreating the economy of Oyo State as our

primary focus. We will work to empower ourpeople for sustainable wealth creation and

develop the capacity of all economic agents.

On this note, I seek the understanding of

those who have felt the temporary negative

effects of ongoing infrastructure and urbanrenewal efforts through demolitions and

removal of illegal structures. We will continue

to treat such cases with empathy and a human

face, as we urge them to note that their pain

today would bring gain to them and Oyo State

tomorrow.

We will ensure completion of the beautifi-

cation of major cities of Oyo State, which we

have begun with Ibadan, our capital. One of

those infrastructure projects, the Neighbour-hood Markets across the state, we will work to

conclude in the first quarter of 2013.

I, once again, ask for your sup-

port, cooperation and collaboration.

Always bear in mind that, Ki Oyo le

daa, ajumose gbogbo wa ni.

Have a prosperous 2013.

hisexCeLLenCY,e. a a,Executive Governor of Oyo State

posToNe-DIReCTFRomTHeGoVeRNoR

As2013 rollsin, I makea solemnpromiseto you onbehalf of theGovernment:

we shallredoubleefforts todelivera richerand moremeaningfullife for OyoState citizens.

Our log marc to RestoratioCotiues...

n w y a r m a g f r o m t h g o v r n o r

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Oyo Gov. commecesfree emergecy mecaservces

The Oyo State Government has kick-started its free emergency medicalservices with 34 ambulances, doctors,

nurses and medical technicians drawn fromthe state Youth Empowerment Scheme(YES-O)

Speaking at the flag-off of the schemeand the inauguration of the ambulances,Governor Abiola Ajimobi disclosed thatemergency road points had been providedfor the ambulances and that arrangementshad been made with a network provider for

a toll-free number.He added that a 24-hour control roomhad been opened at the Ministry of Health,complete with a 30-feet mast and a dedicatedE-1 direct line, coupled with a GIS-basedtracking system, to know the location ofevery ambulance at any point in time toensure the fastest possible response times.

Governor Ajimobi said that the state freeambulance service was borne out of the needto reduce mortality being recorded fromaccidents, disasters and emergencies.

It is well known that people in thesesituations do not know what to do, whereto turn to or whom to call. With the flag-offof this programme, help is now just a callaway, he said.

The governor noted that it is only in a

primitive society that accident victims arecarried to the hospital in open pickup trucks,commercial taxis or Okada, adding thatsuch accident victims often die needlesslythrough lack of application of basic first-aidinterventions.

It is our belief that any modern societymust be able to respond promptly to emer-gency situations, whether on the highwaysor in the homes.

Governor Ajimobi further stated thatany patient who made use of the ambulance

service would be entitled to free drugs forthe first 48 hours of his stay in the hospital,due to the N 200 million worth of essentialdrugs currently being distributed by thegovernment.

He recalled that one of the priority areasof his administrations programme was theurgent need to revamp the state health sectorand restore the quality of healthcare deliveryto the people.

The governor lamented that hospitalsand primary health centres had been in astate of infrastructural decay due to longyears of neglect.

There are not enough medical personneland equipment are obsolete and inadequate.Despite the lack of good infrastructure andstandards, the cost of healthcare is high and

beyond the reach of our people, leaving themto run from pillar to post in search of moneyto treat the most common ailments.

The governor disclosed that govern-ment would soon launch the State StrategicHealth Development Plan, which he said was

developed in conjunction with developmentpartners like World Health Organization(WHO), World Bank, UNICEF and theFederal Government to guide developmentof the health sector over the next five years.

He added that under the plan, a StateHealth Steering Committee would beinaugurated which would involve all keystakeholders.

Governor Ajimobi also said by nextmonth, his administration would launch aUniversal Health Insurance Initiative whose

aim is to ensure that all citizens are able tominimize out-of-pocket expenses by enroll-ing in various Health Insurance Programmeswhich have been developed.

Among the programmes, he said, werethe NHIS-MDG programme, the OyoState Community-Based Health InsuranceProgramme and Formal Sector Health Insur-ance Plans for government employees andthe private sector.

The governor also disclosed that hisadministration would soon begin therenovation of government-owned hospitals

across the state, as well as the provision ofbasic medical equipment.

He said that his government had ascer-tained the required number of medicalpersonnel and commenced recruitment pro-cess for a sustainable number of personnel,stressing that they would be complementedwith seasonal consulting arrangements withconsultants from UI/UCH and LAUTECHTeaching Hospitals.

Governor Ajimobi urged the people tomaximize the opportunity which the pro-

gramme had brought to their doorstep andto cooperate fully with the operators.

Commissioner for Health, Dr. MuyiwaGbadegesin, said that the free ambulanceservice was a new system conceived by theGovernor to fill a gap noticed in healthcaredelivery, that is, the lack of first respondercapability usually leading to needless deathson the roads and in homes.

He said that the fast response time wouldsignificantly improve survival rates fromaccidents and common medical emergenciesin both urban and rural areas of the state.

The commissioner also said that theinclusion of YES-O cadets in the scheme asemergency medical technicians was to createa new career path for them, saying that theyhad received specialized training in first aid.

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i n F r a s t ru C t u r e

Osukeye, Oaje au Oyo Goveroro eveopme

The Chairman of Lafarge West AfricanPortland Cement (WAPCO), ChiefSegun Osunkeye, has commended

Governor Abiola Ajimobi for the developmen-tal strides of his administration in Oyo State.

He gave this commendation when he ledthe management of the company to the Gov-ernors office on a courtesy call.

Osunkeye said that WAPCO, which hadbeen in the construction business since 1959,recognizes administrations that prioritizeinfrastructural development and was proudto identify the government of Oyo State as akey player in that category.

He commended Sen. Ajimobi for the on-going massive infrastructural developmentacross the state and hoped that the state wouldleverage on WAPCOs years in the construc-tion industry and its comparative advantages.

Osunkeye said Lafarge seeks to revive theold bond between the Oyo State governmentand Lafarge Plc, which has its origin in the oldWestern region, with headquarters in Ibadan.The Lafarge chairman promised that the

organization would fulfil its corporate socialresponsibility to the Oyo state governmentwhile also expressing readiness to collaboratewith it in the areas of infrastructural develop-ment, skill acquisition and training of artisans.

Governor Ajimobi in response thanked theLafarge Board and management for the visit.He assured of the partnership of the Oyo StateGovernment.

Lafarge has helped and indeed contrib-uted largely to the growth and development ofthe construction industry in Nigeria. So, thereis no better time to visit Oyo state than now.More so because of our own transformationagenda based on infrastructural develop-ment, knowledge-based economy and socialservices. Your company can also help in

vocational training with skill acquisition tohelp artisans and middle-level manpower inour state, the governor said.

Ajimobi said he would set up a commit-tee of four to look into infrastructure, skillacquisition, artisanship and training, so thatthe state could benefit from the partnershipwith WAPCO. He urged Lafarge to establisha factory or warehouse in the state for easyaccessibility and creation of employmentopportunities for the teeming youth of thestate.

Governor Ajimobi described Lafarge Plc asone of the foremost cement producers in Nige-ria, which has contributed immensely to thegrowth of construction industry in Nigeria.

Joe Hudson, Managing Director/CEO,

Lafarge WAPCO; Chief Adebayo Jimoh,GMD/CEO, Odua Investment and Mrs Temi-tope Oguntokun, Head of Communicationsof the company, accompanied Osunkeye onthe visit.

Meanwhile, Former Secretary-General ofthe Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), Dr. KunleOlajide, has commended Sen. Ajimobi for hisefforts at restoring sanity to major highwaysin Ibadan.

In a letter of commendation, Dr. Olajidementioned the Iwo-Road interchange wheregovernment effort has eliminated the trafficbottleneck.

AJUMOSE recalls that the state govern-ment had recently embarked on the removalof illegal structures that constituted environ-mental nuisance; their presence earned thestate the tag of the dirtiest in the country.

The government has also carried out mas-sive beautification of the Ibadan metropolisand other towns and cities as well as construc-tion of neighbourhood markets in some areaswithin the state capital.

Dr Olajide said that the governor deservedaccolades for his efforts at sanitizing the envi-ronment and changing the face of the state.

Nigerians are usually very quick tocriticize leadership when things go wrong

b u t o f t e n , t h e y never commendgovernment whenthey perform, hesaid, adding that his(Ajimobis) brilliantperformance had

further confirmedt h e c o n f i d e n c eh e h a d e a r l i e rexpressed about hisadministration.

I expressed con-fidence that your suc-cess in the electionwould bring a breathof fresh air to OyoState and that youdefinitely will bringstyle, polish andpanache to the gov-ernment of Oyo State.I thank you for notdisappointing me,he wrote.

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t r a n s Po r t

Free rasporaoexces Oyo workers

T

he train of improvement; thetrain of pacesetting; the train

of restoration, transformationand repositioning have started moving inOyo State. There is no stopping until we areable to take this state to the desired height.

Thus stated His Excellency, Sen. AbiolaAjimobi as he unveiled the plan of the stategovernment to commence free transpor-tation for public servants in the Ibadanmetropolis come February, 2013.

The Governors excitement about theproject caught on to his audience whofilled the House of Chiefs auditorium tothe brim, as he spoke at the Interactive

Session with a cross-section of governmentworkers in the state secretariat.

They clapped and shouted in approvalas he further reeled out the goodies his gov-ernment has for them. Governor Ajimobi

disclosed that the car loan programmefor civil servants has been upgraded 100

per cent while Government has reducedtaxes deductible from their income by 48per cent.

Not yet done, Governor Ajimobi fur-ther revealed that the state governmentwould help workers in home-ownership;Government would aid civil servants toaccess mortgage facilities to finance theirreal estate dreams.

He said they would also be able to accessproperties in the housing project that aprivate developer would soon deliver tothe state government.

Ajimobi said the fact that more than13, 000 civil servants attended trainingprogrammes in the last 18 months under-lined the emphasis of the government ondeveloping human capital.

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2013, Year ofrewar for

Oyo workers -jmo

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo Statehas assured workers in the state ofhis administrations readiness to give

them handsome rewards and add value totheir lives this year for their commitment anddedication to work.

He gave this assurance while addressingcivil and public servants at an inter-religious

prayer session organized to usher in Year 2013at the Governors Office Car Park, Secretariat,Ibadan.

The governor noted that he had, sinceassumption of office, subjected the work-ers to series of challenges and created somestormy sessions, all aimed at getting the bestfrom them and making them more service-oriented.

For you to have been able to withstand thepressure that we have brought to bear on you;for you to have survived our close-marking

approach, shocking treatment and the pyra-mid of checks and balances, be assured thatthis year will be a year of reward for you.

We have demanded a lot from you andyou have given us; and for those of you whohave survived the tsunami of change whichwas aimed at instilling discipline in the systemand make the civil service service-oriented,you will be adequately compensated, he toldthe civil servants who thronged the venue ofthe programme.

While giving glory to God for being withhis administration, the civil servants and theentire people of the state, Governor Ajimobisaid but for God, his efforts at transformingand repositioning the state would have paledinto insignificance.

He stressed the need for the workers to beGodly and to re-dedicate themselves this year,pledging that his administrations package forthem for 2013 would be among the best in theSouth-West zone.

The governor also promised that hisadministration would build housing estatesand arrange for mortgage for the workers

to enable them own the houses without anystress.

He urged religious leaders in the state tocontinue to pray for his administration so thatit could deliver on its promises and take the

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e d u C a t i o n

Goverme approves promoo of 12,076 eacers

The Oyo State government has broughtsmiles to the faces of 12,076 teach-ing and non-teaching staff in public

secondary schools by approving their pro-motion.

The implementation of the exercise,however, will cost the government N42,

339,993.18 being additional salaries andallowances payable to the teachers.The Commissioner for Education, Mrs.

Tokunbo Fayokun, who announced thepromotion, said the state governor, Sen.Abiola Ajimobi, approved it in line with the

transformation agenda of the government.Fayokun added that the promotion for

2009 and 2010 adhered strictly to the rulesof workers promotion as enshrined in theirservice rules.

The Ministry of Education conductedthe 2009 and 2010 promotion interviews

for 12,504 teaching and non-teaching staffof public schools in the state, out of which12,076 qualified.

The Administrative Staff College ofNigeria (ASCON) conducted examinationsfor Levels 6-15 while the Simeon Adebo Staff

Development Centre (SASDC) conductedthe examination for workers on Grade Level01 05.

428 out of all the staff who sat for theinterview, according to Fayokun, were foundnot promoteable.

The governor approved these promo-

tions because he realizes the importanceof promotion in motivating teacher per-formance and boosting the image of theadministration in its quest at repositioningand transforming education in the state, thecommissioner said.

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state to greater heights.The Head of Service, Alhaji Tajudeen

Aremu had in his welcome address urged civilservants to key into the blueprint of the gov-ernment for the successful implementationof the laudable programmes of the Ajimobi

administration.In their separate sermons, Rev. Francis

Omolade and Prof. D. O. S. Noibi admon-ished the civil servants on the need for themto discharge their duties with the fear of Godand shun corrupt tendencies which they saidhad virtually become a cankerworm, eatingup the system.

Prof. Noibi, in particular, acknowledgedthe various accomplishments which had beenrecorded by the Ajimobi administration andcommended it for running a government

with human face.

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CoVeR

OYSG rgesfrasrucure gapw

205 projecs

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the Promise: The transformation that we envision for OyoState and our people can only be translated into reality

with the provision of necessary public infrastructure.We shall embark on extensive rehabilitation of roadsand construction of new ones. Our government shall

insist on the construction of durable roads. Never again will ourpeople live with the irony of roads constructed over 30 years agobeing more motorable than the ones constructed few months back.Senator Abiola Ajumobi delivering his inauguration address onMay 29, 2011.

The reality: Twenty months later,Oyo State Government has executed 205infrastructure projects covering roads,bridges, health centres as well as dredgingrivers and canals.

Since coming into office on May 29, 2011,

Governor Ajimobis government has reha-bilitated and constructed several roads, builteight bridges and dredged 43 rivers, canalsand streams. A flyover, the first in 35 years inthe state and the first by any democraticallyelected government is being constructed at

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CoVeRMokola, Ibadan, the state capital.

Equitable distributionThe Oyo State Ministry of Works drives

the infrastructural development mission ofthe administration. A vital component ofthe wheel of the administration, the min-

istry has projects across the length of OyoState. Though the temptation would be toconcentrate on Ibadan, the state capital, thereis equitable siting of projects to ensure evendevelopment.

Works in progress include the Shangaand Aladota Bridges in Oyo. Others arethe Owode-Afin, Fola Tyre-Durbar Stadium,General Hospital to the palace in Fiditi, GeduSchemes I and II in Oyo and the Ilora-IminiIjaiye roads.

Oke-Ogun, the agrarian part of the state,

is also receiving attention. Sen. Ajimobi com-missioned the road from the Town Hall toIsale Taba in Saki during activities markinghis first year in office while work is ongoingon the Apinite-Otun Town Hall also in Saki.

Work is also in progress on a by-pass inthe mining town of Igbeti; Moniya-Iseyinroad, the major road that links Ibadan withOke-Ogun, is also being rehabilitated. Simi-lar rehabilitation work is going on at theDeeper Life-Oloko road in Igboho whilethe Saki-Ogberan road has been completed.Motorists are now plying the Ilero-Otu and

Otu-Alaga roads without tears.OYSG is also fixing Iresa-Apa to Iresa-

Adu Phases I & II, Mowolowo-Iwo Ate andIpeba-Ajaawa roads in Ogbomoso. The Gov-ernor has commissioned the OgbomosoCalifornia-Ibapon Agric road.

In Ibarapa zone, the Ibadan-New EruwaJunction to Lanlate Junction in Eruwa; Oke-Ola-Aborerin-Igboora Junction; Eleyele-Iddo-Eruwa and the Igboora-Idere roadswill soon be completed.

Mokola flyoverThough commuters plying the Mokola

Roundabout route in Ibadan are sufferingsome little discomfort because of the con-struction of the flyover, it will be for a littlewhile as everything is being done to ensurethat the bridge is completed in the first

quarter of 2013.Almost completed is the Podo MotorPark. OYSG plans to move the unstructuredparks from Beere down to Challenge toPodo Motor Park.AJUMOSE recalls that theTemidire Park, constructed from scratch bythe Ajimobi administration had earlier beeninaugurated.

Overall, OYSG is currently executing205 projects; bridges, roads and culverts.There are two motor parks, one flyover andthe dualisation of Methodist to EfunsetanRoundabout in Challenge. The road, whose

contract was signed recently, is to enlarge theentry point into Ibadan from Lagos and it isnot the only road that will be dualized. Majorroads into Oyo, Ogbomoso and Iseyin willsoon receive the same treatment.

The Circular Road

That is not all. The 110 kilometre majorCircular Road that will take off from Akilapaon the Lagos-Ibadan Express Way, runthrough Egbeda on Ife Road to Akinyele onOyo road and finally Apata on the Abeokutaroad is also in the pipeline. The road is adevelopment corridor that will further openup the areas and encourage external econo-mies of scale among companies that wouldbe situated there. Prices of property will alsoincrease along the route and ensure morerapid development of the city.

The project is now at the pre-MOU stagewith four companies having shown inter-est after it was advertised. A highly capitalintensive project, the circular road will be aPublic-Private- Partnership arrangement.And fittingly, it is not only a road; it is a formof developmental corridor as portions arebeing classified for specific purposes.AJU-MOSE gathered that the first 10 kilometreswill be for industrial establishments, another10 kilometres for educational institutions,while there will also be designated portionsfor auto mart, electronics and financial

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CoVeR

institutions among others.

A corollary to the massive on-going roadconstruction and reconstruction is provi-sion for a mass transit. The state executivecouncil has already approved the purchaseof 100 units of fully air conditioned anddigital 43-seater buses for this. The minicircular road from Dandaru at Mokola, toSanyo on the Lagos-Ibadan Express Wayand some other lanes will be dedicated to thebuses. Though not exactly like the Bus RapidTransport system in Lagos, the service will befast and efficient. It will also be affordable.

Neighbourhood marketsA major criticism of the Ajimobi govern-ment is the demolitions it is effecting onmajor streets to clean up the state and restorethe original master plan. Governments bull-dozers have pulled down illegal structures atChallenge, Mokola and Sango amongst otherareas. Sen. Ajimobi has, unknown to many,made alternative provision for the displacedstreet traders in the form of neighbourhoodmarkets, part of a larger urban renewalproject.

And to ensure that the traders are not

cheated, structures have been put in placeto ensure that they are direct beneficiaries ofthe markets and not some money bags whowould come from nowhere to buy the shops.The Governor, has, in fact, delegated officials

to meet with representatives of the traders

so that they will be given priority when theyare eventually moved to the neighbourhoodmarkets.

A source disclosed: It is not that we saywe have neighbourhood market in Iwo Road,interested people should come. No. We willbe relocating those people we sent packing,we are relocating them on human groundsto the new site. There is a multi-ministerialcommittee comprising works, environment,physical planning, trade and investment,water and lands.

Tackling floodingLike other parts of the country, the floodsravaging the country have not spared OyoState. Following the August 26, 2011 tragedythat claimed lives in the state, governmenthas embarked on massive orientation of thepeople on the causes of flooding and howto prevent it. It has also set up a technicalcommittee headed by an academic at theUniversity of Ibadan to assess the issue criti-cally because it does not make sense to investso much in infrastructure only for waterto destroy them. The committee has since

submitted its report and government is goingabout its implementation.

Though it has many projects going onsimultaneously, officials of the MinistryWorks say it comes with the territory and

is not an exertion. They, however, attributetheir success to God and team leader Sen.Ajimobi. If you want to be a member of histeam, you should learn to work 26 hours ina day. That is the magic behind our success.

You have to be proactive, you have to bevisionary, you should be focused and avoiddistractions. You should be proactive andthink ahead to know what he (The Gover-nor) wants.

OYSG PROJECTS INNMBERS

1Flyover underconstruction at Mokola2Modern motor parks atTemidire and Podo

1CircularRoad1MinorCircular Road205On-goingprojects acrossthe state

1Neighbourhood market

at Iwo Road

100Units of digitalbuses acquiredfor mass transit

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nao bug,ccorg oAjumose2012 Chatha Hue Lecture: Ajibi chart path t greaterNigeria

Never one to shy away from airing his views on national issues,Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State made a numberof sound interventions on developments in Nigeria at a

lecture titled Review and Reform: Key Elements and Implicationsof Nigerias Constitution Review Process he delivered at ChathamHouse, London, recently.

The Governor gave his objective

appraisal of issues including appoint-ment of the chairman of the Independent

National Electoral Commission (INEC),

fiscal federalism, state police, independ-

ence of the judiciary and tenure of elected

public officers amongst others to a cos-

mopolitan audience of likeminded peopledesiring a better Nigeria.

On INEC

The Governor noted that instead of

being appointed by the President, the Chief

Justice of Nigeria should appoint the INEC

chairman.

He also touched on the funding of

the electoral body, noting that: INEC

funding should be first line charge of the

Federation Account as a mechanism for

checks and balances. Only the recurrent

expenses of INEC are at present excluded

from presidential approval.

Extant constitutional provisions allow

the president to appoint INEC board that

will superintend the election in which he

is likely to be a candidate. INEC reports

to the president. Its funding relies on the

disposition of the president as well.

FeaTuRe

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All these have serious implications for

the independence of INEC and the pos-

sibility of having free and fair elections in

the country, he said.

Fiscal federalism

Governor Ajimobi described the pre-sent federal system as feeding bottle feder-

alism in which states assemble monthly in

Abuja for federal allocation does not allow

for hard work.

He noted that many of the milestones

in many parts of the country were accom-

plished in the First Republic when states

had more control on their resources.

This allowed for healthy rivalry among

states and the outcome is the many land-

marks that still mark out the leaders of thatera as the heroes of Nigeria, he said.

The governor, who highlighted the

development projects he had executed

in the last 16 months, said that he would

have done more if the state had been given

power to control its resources.

Tenure of public officials

Governor Ajimobi kicked against the

second term politics in the country, which

he said was too much of a distraction.

Extant constitutional provisions limitelected president and governors and their

deputies to a maximum of two terms of

four years.

As a former senator and governor who

had contested election three times in this

dispensation, this provision allows elected

executives only about two years of service.

This means he has one year to settle down

as a newly elected officer and one year to

prepare for election, if he wants a second

term.This is unhealthy for the system

because for the development that Nige-

rians seek, we need executives that can

devote considerable time to the task of

governance.

The governor also opined that the

removal of incumbents from the second

term elections would reduce the use of

incumbency factor to undermine the

democratic rights of other contestants

within the political parties or in the generalelections.

State Police

Governor Ajimobi supported the

creation of state police, noting that it

would guarantee fast and immediate

response to security challenges and

allow for indigenous police service that

would leverage on its knowledge of the

local communities to detect and prevent

crime.The provision for state governors as

chief security officers of their respective

states is largely meaningless because the

police do not report to them.

Valuable time is wasted in cases

of security challenges because police

authorities need to seek approval for

action from the federal government

rather than the governors who are on

the ground and who feel the impact of

such security challenges.Furthermore, previous adminis-

trations at the federal level had used

this control of the security apparatus

to intimidate, arm-twist and under-

mine state governments, especially

when they belonged to rival parties.

The implication is that security in

the states is compromised and the safety

of lives and property has not received

the best attention because of this struc-

tural problem, he stated.To guard against abuse of state police

by state governors, the Governor called

for constitutional provisions for checks

and balances such as the inclusion of

paramount traditional rulers, repre-

sentatives of the federal government and

the armed forces, and notable groups

like the Nigerian Bar Association and

the judiciary in the State Police Service

Commissions.

Immunity ClauseGovernor Ajimobi opined that the

retention or removal of the controversial

immunity clause in the constitution was

not the problem but rather, the will by

the national justice system to prosecute

the so-called big men in the society

when the need arose.

The provision for immunity has

been inserted into the constitution to

protect officials against distraction

because of our litigious culture as apeople. For me, I do not see anything

wrong in removing the Immunity

clause, if it will enhance the integrity of

our democratic system.

But the question is: if erring presi-

dents and governors were not pros-

ecuted while they were in office because

of the immunity clause, how many of

the 1999-2007 class of president and

governors have been prosecuted sincethey left office in 2007?

We need to look deeper into why

so-called big men do not face justice

in Nigeria, rather than focusing on the

immunity clause. Nigeria needs a justice

system that will not sacrifice justice on

the altar of class or wealth. We need a

system where the so-called big men will

not be able to buy, delay or frustrate

justice, he submitted.

The JudiciarySen. Ajimobi praised the judici-

ary for playing an important role in

the development of Nigeria, adding,

however, that there was still room for

improvement.

Our judicial process is expensive to

the extent that it puts a lot of our people

at a great disadvantage. The judicial

process is also too slow that it peren-

nially confirms that justice delayed

is justice denied. Our constitutionalreview should emphasise this to retain

the confidence of our people in the

judiciary.

He called for a review of consti-

tutional provisions that would allow

states, rather than the National Judicial

Council to determine the number of

judges they needed.

Only a state can determine the

number of judges it needs. The national

control has led to less number of judgesin some states in contrast to the number

of cases in the courts, he said.

The governor submitted that a new

constitution is not the solution to the

myriads of challenges confronting

Nigeria as the constitution could only

provide the framework for the operation

of the government.

The responsibility for good govern-

ance and the development of Nigeria

lies on a responsible leadership and avigilant following. It is our readiness

to make the constitution work that will

ensure that the on-going constitution

review is worthwhile, he said.

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By all traditional indices and parameters, Iwo Road is qualifiedto be called the crossroads that troubles the visitor. It is amajor road with several intersections. A section of the road

takes you to Ife; another one leads you to Iwo Town; one also takesyou to Oyo via Ojo.

The other two lead you to Gate in the heartof Ibadan and Lagos respectively. Iwo Road alsohas its own traditional narratives. The mythabout the road is that it is the crossroads wheredeities and other weird creatures converge inthe dead of the night; and it is believed thatsuch assembly is good for the state because ofits divine returns. In Ibadan, as in other majorYoruba towns, the visit of the gods at any pointin time is always a sign of blessing. It is thereforein the interest of the state to allow the deitiesascend and descend at will to avoid blessingdeficit. It is this myth that was said to have con-strained past administrations in Oyo State fromlifting Iwo Road from its accustomed labyrinth.

The convocation of metaphysical agentsand forces within and around Iwo Road andthe conspiracy of previous administrations inOyo State, evident in their unwillingness to liq-uidate this evil assemblage, confirm the culturalindulgence the notorious road had enjoyed inthe past years. But whatever may be the myth

around Iwo Road should not conflict with itspolitical metaphor.

Each time I pass through Iwo Road, I see thevacuity of our political leadership, the depravityof humanity and the desperation of a strugglingpeople. I see the rejects of the society that arein the world but as mere walking corpses. I seedisgruntled and angry women strapped theirfuture to their back with a loose sash, lookingaskance into a tomorrow that is already dead tothem. I see a colony of malcontents dramatisingthe vanities and inanities of an unjust society. Isee a people with mangled aspirations droopingtheir heads in total submission to their failed

visions and the remnant of their expectations.Even in its present appearance of grandeur,

Iwo Road remains the theatre of the absurd wherepeople of diverse destinies connect with theirexistential realities. Iwo Road is the crossroadsthat leads some people to their destinations andfrustrates others from reaching their destinies.

Iwo Road is home to different human char-

acters: the money changers, hawkers of anythingunder the sun, madmen and specialists, beggarsof diverse tactics, touts and thugs, assassinsand apprentices of evil, food vendors and theirconsuming multitude, jobless graduates roam-ing around and about, urchins with their toolsof crisis, labourers and their implements of grit,security agents and their revenue collectors,street sweepers with their brooms of pity, goggle-eyed intellectuals and their observatory ladders,government officials with their tax files. The list

is endless. Then the traffic. This is the majorphenomenon of Iwo Road. It is a disservice togrammatical expression to say that what peopleexperience daily at Iwo Road is go slow. No, itis more than that. Without being hyperbolic,it is a gridlock. On a daily basis, travellers aretrapped for hours in the gridlock, workers getlate to office because of it. The traffic wardensend up creating traffic stalemate. They stand inthe midst of the traffic not knowing what to do,where to start from or who to blame. The confu-sion begins from nowhere and ends at nowhere.This gridlock is tied to its mystery.

The Abiola Ajimobi government with itsconsensual sloganeering credo must have beenintrigued by the Iwo Road mystery hence itsresolve to unravel it. Ajimobi must have realisedthat the secret of the success of his administra-tion lies in his ability to deal with this mystery

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through a systemic despatch of its nuisancecontents. The governor, therefore, decided toengage the Iwo Road mafia in a battle of witswhich he seems to be winning. The first move

was the relocation of the parks. Though, someof them have refused to obey this relocationorder, it is not as bad as it used to be. Then,some structures encroaching on the road weredemolished while some traders were sentpacking. Some of the illegal bus parks are nowundergoing beautification and landscapingevolution. Thus, a new Iwo Road stripped ofall forms of traditional razzmatazz is emerging.

No responsible government in this modernage will subscribe to a risible myth or succumbto the fallacy of a witch-cult fantasy. Whyshould Iwo Road not undergo a revification

simply because some weird creatures are saidto have turned the place to a midnight eaterywhere they feast on appeasement menu inassorted calabashes brought by patrons ofherbalists and promoters of Icce? The bestthe government can do for them in this regardis to relocate their eatery to places like Dugbe,Yemetu, Orita Challenge, Idi-Arere, Beere, Ojeand the rest. Ibadan, and indeed, Oyo State asa whole, does not appear to me like a state thatwill lack a convenient venue for the convocationand revelry of midnight principalities and otherentities of darkness.

All previous administrations before Ajimobiwere unable to solve the Iwo Road mysterybecause they lacked the creativity to deconstructits metaphor and understand the contemporari-ness of its social construct. These days, govern-ance requires depth of ideas, good thinking,

poetic logic, political theatrics, oratorical dra-matics and above all, divine wisdom. When youlack all these, you lack initiative. Any inspira-tional and creative administration must under-

stand and appreciate the economic dynamicsof roads. When you have gridlock spots where

vehicles are trapped for several hours, there isan alarming decline in economic activities andby extension, in revenue. Unrestricted move-ments of human personnel and the facilitationof their economic goods are revenue-friendlyto a government that develops and maintainsits infrastructure, especially roads.

The massive road constructions going on instates like Lagos, Osun, Ekiti, Ogun, Oyo, Edoand Imo, confirm the linkage between roads,economic growth and other development

indicators. Strategic road networking is key todevelopment and is also a major boost to regionalintegration. Since all the states in the South Westare determined to forge ahead with the processof integration, all efforts must be made towardsupgrading their infrastructure by making ittrade-friendly. This way, they will stimulate andcreate massive opportunities for their peoples andinvariably guarantee their economic prosperity.

The rehabilitation work at Iwo Road is,therefore, the elixir that the Ajimobi govern-ment needs to provoke the inspiration itrequires in unlocking the problematics of other

projects and similar policy gridlocks.With the new law banning street begging

in Oyo State, the transformation of Iwo Roadis nearing total completion. Besides, the OyoState Traffic Management and the Federal RoadSafety Commission (FRSC) have deployed

personnel to the road for effective monitor-ing. These days, movement around the road issomehow smooth and stress-free.

What Ajimobi is doing in Iwo Road was

what Babatunde Fashola did to Oshodi someyears back.

I am not too sure if Oshodi had its ownmyth but what I do know is that Fasholas inter-

vention has demystified the notorious Oshodi.Since that intervention, Oshodi has remainedquiet, fomenting no crisis, witnessing no trou-ble and engendering no conflict. The gridlockhad since disappeared. Vehicular and humantraffic now flows without the stress of the past.Ajimobi and Fasholas action on Iwo Road andOshodi respectively exemplifies how visionaryleadership and administration should respond

to obstacles of development. Myths are obsta-cles to progress and until they are disparagedand treated with contempt and disdain, oursociety will be held hostage by mere soporificnarratives and antiquated traditions.

While crediting the Ajimobi administrationfor its creativity and sagacity in coming up withthe magic for the revival of Iwo Road, I amproposing that the government should comeup with the mechanisms including legislations,that will give an enduring value to the variousmeasures and structures that are being put inplace at Iwo Road.

THomAs, A fom sCAL As ToAsA BoLA AHm TNB, s A LCTAT TH ATmNT of HsToy AN NT-NAToNAL sTs, LAos sTAT NsTy.CLL fom TH NAToN NsA,sNAy ANAy 27, 2013

opINIoN

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From Oeeyemo oer, lovea OrayaFesva

FesTIVal

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The Son, Adeyemi, occupant of the Agodi House in Ibadanhas assured the Baba Adeyemi, the Royal Father, Alaafin(Owner of the Palace) in Oyo that his administration would

not relent in its efforts towards promoting the rich cultural heritage

of the Pacesetting State. This transpired on Saturday, 15th Septem-ber 2012. It was at the Grand Finale of the Oranyan Festival, thefirst of its kind.

It was a high day, if any day could qualifyfor such designation. The ancient city ofOyo was a-glitter and the elements were inperfect agreement. The festival delivered onpromise: that it would bring together, notonly the sons of Oyo, but the entire Yoruba

race. Represented at this first festival wereYorubas from all parts of South-West Nigeriaand the larger diaspora in Benin Republic,Togo, Ghana, Cote DIvoire and others.

Before this Day of Days, the week-longactivities, (it started the previous Saturday)

took the city through colourfully excitingFestival Float, Live Radio Programme inwhich the character, Oranyan was x-rayedto the public as the first Alaafin of Oyo whoeffectively transferred political power fromIle-Ife to Oyo. The history of the transition

was traced as found in extant written and oraltraditions. In addition, there was the Artsand Crafts Exhibition at the Palace Groundas well as film shows featuring Oranyan andSango, both Alaafin at different times in theannals of Oyo. Young children, youths andthe adventurous were not left out as theytoo had their day. The beauties of Oyo werein their element at the unveiling of the MissOranyan for the year while the brawnies

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17JMSE



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also disported themselves at the Durbar Stadium venue of the stagingof the finals of the Youth Soccer Competition. Very popular was theGbegiri Day at which the popular delicacy of the Yorubas, especially

the Oyo people was served at the palace grounds to accompanyOkaamala.

Excitement had built to fever pitch on the last day of the festival.Organisations; civil, institutional and corporate, had taken spaces atvarious points around the palace to display their banners wishing theKabiyesi and the people of Oyo a happy celebration. Various voluntaryorganizations like the Boys Scout were on hand to maintain orderalongside the formal uniformed law enforcement agents. Also presentat the palace grounds were members of the Royal DundunandSekereorchestra to welcome the various dignitaries as they entered the innerpalace compound to pay homage to the Iku Baba Yeye, His RoyalHighness, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Atanda Adeyemi. The beautifullyrich in semantics Yoruba Language was on display as the principal cur-rency of communication by all these festive spirits in songs, speeches,poems, proverbs, Ifa passages, even on the mouth of the ubiquitous(now world-famous) talking drum. From the moment the entourageof the Alaafin entered the arena, there was not a dull moment as vari-ous activities befitting the grand finale of a world-class cultural eventunfolded to the applause and admiration of the mammoth crowd.

The charged atmosphere however turned super-charged whenthe Adeyemi of Ibadan (as he was called by theAlaafin), His Excel-lency, Sen. Abiola Ajimobi, made his entrance. Long expected, hewas warmly welcomed by all the crowned heads, their chiefs andthe people of the ancient city. A peoples man, he was generous withhis smiles as he acknowledged cheers from them. Responding to the

warm welcome of the people of Oyo through theAlaafin, Sen. Ajimobiassured them that his administration would not relent in its effortsat promoting, presenting, preserving and developing our rich culturalheritage to the delight of all. He was all praise for the initiative oftheAlaafin in thinking out this festival, which seeks to highlight the

labours of our heroes past, pointing out that the future of the pastmust be guaranteed. To do this, it is incumbent on us to hold on toand lift proudly aloft that which is glorious about our past. We shouldreturn to the cultural values that have served us well for centuries.The governor pointed out that it is essential for us to go back into

history to enlighten and educate ourselves about the role of culture insocial re-construction, in order to inspire the present and emboldenthe future. He pointed out that culture is at the nerve-centre of thehuman social spirit and also a fulcrum of growth and development,if properly packaged and managed. He however advised that we needto do away with those aspects that are inimical to our developmentor things not in tune with modern and global realities.

In his best element with wit and anecdotes, the governor inter-spersed his speech with brotherly advice and humorous remarks, hewarmed up to his people and they too responded. As he is wont todo, the governor pointed out theAjumose in cultural appreciationwhen he recalled the aims of his administration in creating out of the

Ministry of Information the new Ministry of Culture and Tourismso as to streamline the function of the ministry and its agencies foreffective performance, transforming and repositioning the state togenerate employment, reduce poverty in the society and contributesignificantly to the socio-economic development of the State.

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eVeRyoNesoyosTaTe

It is tough enough to have a loved one com-promised by sickness and needing prolongedadmission in the hospital. Having to care forsuch a person may also require being there in

the hospital with him or her. As the hospital onlyprovides bedspace for the invalid, the relativewould have to squat and huddle in corridors andshelters within the hospital premises, especiallywhen the family is not resident in the metropolis.

It is for these kind of scenarios that large-hearted and wealthy Nigeriansand organizations initiated the Alaanu House Project at the University

College Hospital, Ibadan, where they provide comfortable living spacefor such relatives to pass the night in comfort and dignity. Our FirstLady, Mrs Florence Ajimobi has joined the ranks of these magnanimous,public-spirited entities. Conferred with the title of Ambassador of Peaceand Humanity by a grateful management of the health institution, Mrs.Ajimobi remarked that the plight of these relatives got her attentionwhen she saw them sprawled in corners and corridors of the hospital,bereft of their dignity.

On enquiry, I learnt that though provision was made to accommodaterelatives of patients who are on admission in the hospital, it is grossly inad-equate to cope with the number of people who have to sleep over to see tothe needs of their loved ones and they have to make do with hanging aroundfor as long as was necessary. Their sorry plight informed her decision to

intervene and contribute the building and furnishing project so as to alleviatethese peoples privation. The dignity of the people must be preserved, evenin the face of pain and turmoil, she observed.

Governor Ajimobi, while commending the First Lady, remarked thatbefore this project, which was commissioned in the memory of his mother,

Madam Dhikrat Abeje Ajimobi, hiswife had always involved herself incaring for the poor and the under-privileged in the society. He recalledthat even before he became governor,his wife took it upon herself to carryout some humanitarian servicesincluding the donation of buildings

to orphanages. He urged wealthy Nigerians to emulate this good gesture ofgiving back to the society.

The governor also remarked that the project is in sync with his adminis-trations programme on health delivery, which has seen various government

health institutions treating more than half a million indigenes of the state freeof charge. He revealed that his government is in the process of upgradingAdeoyo Hospital to a modern hospital with cutting-edge facilities and equip-ment to hold the health fort in the state along with the UCH, the nationalhealth centre of excellence and the nations foremost teaching hospital.

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From Oe Carg hear o tousas Oers:

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LAM OF THE PEOPLE

We will cntinue t celebrate the lie agd leader. He had alwa entred u;he entred an u; let u take lace in theact that he lived a ullled lie, bth pirituall andpliticall.

He alwa aid that what gladden hi heart i that he

ha plitical n in e. hatever anbd a a, athe ret plitical n Alhaji La Adeina. Talkingabut gdline, the rer gvernr lived it and acted it.He wa alwa praing and ating.

ued t call Alhaji Adeina y three-in-ne. He wa y teacher,y uncle and y plitical entr. hatever a tday in plitic,he ade e. n additin, when yu reve the undane plitic foy state; the pedetrian plitic; the pull hi dwn innuendef oy plitic, there i n cler pern t hi a hi pliti-cal n than , Abila Ajibi.-sN. abiola ajimobi, xCT oNo, oyo sTAT.

H

e wa a great an. He wa a warrir. He

ught r decrac. He wa ipri-ned but did nt ield. He wa nt a anwh wuld trade hi cncience r apt prridge r gld. He wa c-itted t the decratic ideal. He had

passaGe

Born to the family of Adesina in Ibadanon 20 January 1939, Uncle Lam wentto the popular Loyola College before

proceeding across the Niger to the Universityof Nigeria, Nsukka between 1961 and 1963where he bagged a Bachelor of Arts in History.

His sojourn in the ivory tower was not overuntil he had done a year stint at the Universityof Ibadan in 1971.

Alhaji Adesina turned to the classroomsoon after leaving the university, becominginstructor in many private institutions. Buthis restive spirit that would not keep still inthe face of anarchy and mismanagement drovehim to the penning of critical editorials andarticles in the Nigerian Tribune, all aimedat effecting a change in the military govern-ment of the day. He was a natural choice,

then, when the late Chief Obafemi Awolowoat the dawn of the Second Republic, cobbledtogether a team that he christened Committeeof Friends; which group later metamorphosedto the Unity party of Nigeria, UPN. He was toemerge a member of the House of Representa-tives, where he diligently acquitted himself inthe service of his constituency.

With the coming of the Third Republic, theprogressive leaning of Alhaji Lam took himto the Social Democratic Party, SDP, wherehe played a significant role in the landmark

victory of the enigmatic MKO Abiola in Oyo

State. It was therefore logical that he becamea vociferous voice in dissenting against theannulment of the vote. He was captured asa Prisoner-of-War by the military authorityclamping down on dissenters and disgruntledelements and clamped into detention along

with other leaders of opposition.With the coming of this political dispensa-

tion, Great Lam rode on the pinion of populargoodwill to emerge as the gubernatorial flag-bearer of the Action for Democracy, AD,in Oyo State and thereafter won through tobecome the occupier of the seat of the gov-ernor in Agodi. He lost power in a deeplycontroversial manner in the wave that sweptalmost all of the AD governors of the South-West geopolitical region.

Since quitting power, Alhaji Adesina

had busied himself re-organising the partymachinery that delivered the state to him.Largely due to his political strength, experi-ence and wisdom, his party was able to recap-ture most South-West states back.

Alhaji Lam suffered a series of healthchallenges towards the end of his days, whichculminated in his admission into St. NicholasHospital on Lagos Island. His struggle forlife ended on the 11th November 2012.His burial according to Islamic ritestook place in his Felele, Ibadanresidence.

He lived in a tie

deciive truggle rthe ul the na-tin; the tprint the like the reatLa, wuld r a

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passaGe

great character. He ught a battle and he wn. He walal and hnet t hi riend.

He wa a battle an; a great general. He gt thitate back in the ld the prgreive. And he eitedwell. Hi death can never be re glriu than thi.

- sNATo bola ahmd tinubu, fom oNo of LAossTAT AN ACN NAToNAL LA.

Alhaji La Adeina wa an inightul plitician,bridge builder and a litening leader. He ughtrelentlel with ther r the decrac the cuntrnw enj.

articularl, during the lcut ear and twilight brutal ilitar rule, La wa ang the plitical lead-er, including the late Attrne eneral the edera-tin, Chie Bla ge, runded up a priner war inbrad dalight in badan b the gvernent the lateeneral sani Abacha.

Thee leader never wavered and reained un-daunted until the ilitar withdrew back t the bar-rack. Hi cntributin during dark da ilitarpke vlue a leader, a reed ghter withele interet. have trng cnvictin that he leda eaningul lie, a lie wrth eulatin and hacarved a niche r hiel in the hallwed pliticalchaber Nigeria.- oBN rauf argbola, oNo of osN.

Hi death i re than hcking. Chie Nii Adebaand were with hi in the hpital, eight hur be-re he died. e watched the Atn illa-man atch

tgether, the three u in hi hpital r.e jked. e pke. e laughed. e dicuedplitic. He wa in gd pirit and alert, nl r u tbe called at abut 7a thi rning (sunda) that hehad died. CHf gun ooba, x-oNo of oN sTAT

It cae a a hck thi rning when gt a call thathe had paed n. ma hi ul ret in peace. He reallwill be ied. A u are well aware, we ued t be iAlliance pr ecrac vernr. There are nl ur u let nw- CHf niyi adbayo, x-oNo, T sTAT.

Hi death ha created a ver big vacuu. La habeen a ver citted Nigerian, a natinalit. A

an wh lived an eeplar lie in an wa. ightr hi da when he wa a clunit.- aminu tambuwal, sA, Hos of sNTATs.

He wa nt knwn t be ippant, arrgant withpwer r inrdinatel abitiu. hen hi peplecalled upn hi r leaderhip, he never abued theprivilege and did nt aa wealth t the detrient the peple. He led b eaple- oNo olugun mimiko of oNo sTAT.

La Adeina, cle riend ver 50 ear, will be

greatl ied at thi hur when ur cuntr badlneed it bet citizen t recue it r the pit where itnw prtrate.

La wa ver bld, ele, altruitic and huane.

hen the truggle wa erce againt the trannicalrule the late eneral sani Abacha, La, wh trav-elled with e r badan t ow, the he thelate vernr Adekunle Ajain r the Natinal e-cratic Calitin (NACo) eeting, dentrated hi

dgged ghting pirit.At ne the eeting, he ninated e a the

chairan a three-an ad-hc cittee aigned tcarr ut epinage n the activitie and aneuvre Abacha. Nigeria will i a great educatinit, a an deep knwledge, a thughtul clunit and a an uncpriing integrit wh wa kind t a ault. CHf aroy oybola.

Adeina lved lbadan, o state and he lved Nige-ria. He had religiu tlerance. He lived a crrupt-ree lie. He wa a gd teacher and leader. He wa agreat and dipainate an. A a gvernr, he wuld

g r an religiu gathering pernall.- ola makind, LAT, mTHosT CHCH of NA.

There i n dubt that he wa a citted decrat.He pent the better part hi lie in the ervice huanit. That eplained wh he wa relevant evenutide ce- oNo mmanul uduaghan of LTA sTAT.

Ia ad t learn the death a patrit and dedi-cated lver the unit the Nigerian peple. AlhajiLa Adeina wa a viinar and earle plitician.ma hi ul ret in peace.- CHf bnzr babatop.

La ha reained a cntant xture in the natinplity fr ver three decade, either a a newpaperclunit, eber f the Hue f epreentative,cial and plitical critic, and priner f cncience, tategvernr r an elder tatean.

Thugh deceptively eek, he wa a plitical lin whwa ferciuly effective. A perfect validatin f the ay-ing that all plitic i lcal, La Adeina never lt cntrlr cndence f hi peple. ven during the lcut yearwhen the eple ecratic arty () captured thebdy f oy state plitic, the ul f the peple re-ained with the frer gvernr.

- action congrss of nigria (ACN)

La wa alway very plite t e, even thugh he wayunger. He wa a hardwrking pern and rt gtt knw hi when wa ciiner in the minitry fducatin. He wa rt a cla teacher befre he re tthe pitin f a principal.

Thugh we are n different ide f plitical divide, healway deferred t e t plitely. viited hi cca-inally, epecially in cnnectin with hi clun in theTribune: The search Cntinue.

La wa a reliable pern, wh will be ied bybth the faily and the entire cunity. ery ften, he

paed thrugh hard tie but he perevered. He aw allthe difcultie f life, fr hi yuth t adulthd.- omololu olunloyo, fom oyo sTAT oNo.

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passaGe

8th-day fidau prayers for alhaji lam adesina

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A REMINDER FROM THEGOOD PEOPLE OF OYO STATE.

Wondering how to succeed in the global economic

downturn? Maybe its time to ask yoursel whereinstead. Oyo State, an inland state in South

Western Nigeria, is one o the most urbanized

States in Nigeria. Its centralized location makes

it the ideal low-cost distribution point or the

South West; it also guarantees accessibility to

the nations seaport and efcient transportation

or both imports and exports.

For details about why Procter and Gamble,

Nigerian Breweries, British American Tobbaccoand many others value Oyo State real estate so

highly, Please call +234 (0) 806 375 3107 or visit

theOyo State Ministry of Trade, Investment and

Cooperatives, Oyo State Secretariat, Agodi,

Ibadan.

Business

SuccessHinges OnLocation,Location,

Location!

o yo s t a t e o f n i g e r i a

Documents

Ajumose Mag Jan-march 2013